A/N: hello everybody! I would have uploaded last night, but fanfiction had a 503 alert: it wasn't working. So annoyed! But I'm back again. I should mention that this chapter is over 7000 words, longer than my usual length. That's what made this one an easy read compared to the prequel, because it's shorter. Well read on. Oh, one more thing, some old canon characters will be back. Try to think about who they may be. One more OC from Clairvoyance has a cameo appearance too.
To the guest reviewer: that sounds like a really good story you've got in the works, but I won't be able to write it. Only because of this: no one else can write your story for you. Well, no, that's not entirely true, other people can write your stories for you, hence why ghost writers exist. Many celebrities use these of course. I have considered ghost writing as a profession to be honest (because I'm broke right now), but I don't think I ever could when I put it into perspective. It would still be their story, what they say goes, and their characters, etc... Fair enough, we're talking about Zim. We both love him, he belongs to neither of us, and we could probably make something creepy and beautiful with what you've got planned. But writing is a solo thing for me (because I'm an introverted loner). I don't think I could even write a collaboration (maybe, who knows). Plus, I do have a lot on my plate too, you're right. My life is hectic with finding work, writing this and my original story. I wouldn't find the time to give your story justice. I'm very flattered that you came to me though. I would suggest that when the time comes when you can write fanfiction, that you give it a go.
If you don't ever get around to writing it for yourself, then I hope you find the perfect person to do it. My advice is to find active, current writers on here who write for IZ and JtHM, or just IZ. They may be interested in your idea. Give it a shot. I'm just sorry that it couldn't be me. Good luck with your story. I'd be happy to read it :)
...
Zim watched the footage with wide, open eyes. The lights of the monitor reflected back in his large orbs, where Tak's small image could be seen.
She didn't do anything for five hours. Well nothing exciting up until about three in the afternoon, when Molly's party started. Zim took note of the change in her posture once the creature took over, and sure enough there were those green eyes staring at the camera.
Those green eyes taunted Zim as they looked up at the camera, but he wouldn't let them beat him. He would come out victorious in the end, and most of all Tak. He had to get this thing out of her somehow, lest it takes over her entire brain.
Did Zim even care about that? He hated Tak, and she hated him all the same, but she at least deserved to be saved. Molly senior was right; he had to help a dear old friend, but most of all, he was rather intrigued by Green Eyes, a new nickname he had given the creature living inside of Tak.
Who was she, what was her history, and why was she still lingering, especially inside of Tak of all Irkens? It was all very bizarre.
Skoodge entered the room, as Zim rewound the footage over and over. He looked behind the viewing window to see Tak sleeping. Well, it looked that way, but she did have her eyes closed. Skoodge was still uncomfortable being in close proximity with her. Sure, the glass was there to protect them all, but it was still too close for comfort.
He glanced back at Zim, troubled. The smaller Irken hadn't even bothered to look up yet. He was too immersed in the footage.
"Zim, you've been watching that footage for hours now," he said. "Give yourself a break."
"I can't," Zim replied. "Ever since Tak's arrival in the base, there has been no appearance of Green Eyes. But when I finally leave Tak alone, she appears yet again."
Skoodge raised a brow. "Who is 'Green Eyes'?" he asked, apprehensively.
"The creature living inside of Tak, or Irken..."
"And you are sure it is female?"
"Yes!" Zim slammed his hand on the panel, pressing the switch down to the intercom by accident. He didn't seem to notice. "I know the disapproving look of a female Irken, and that's what I see in Green Eyes. She disapproves of Zim."
"Stop calling her... it Green Eyes. You're starting to scare me now. You're becoming... obsessed."
"Well someone has to unravel the mystery of this creature living inside of Tak! Look at the footage; watch the sudden change in her eyes."
"Hm, 'kay," Skoodge said, sitting beside Zim on the spare chair.
Tak opened one eye as she listened to them speaking over the intercom. A creature living inside of her? What nonsense.
Once again, Zim reversed the tape to when Tak bent her head forward, gasped a few times, and looked up and released a high-pitched laugh. There was a remarkable change in her eyes, Skoodge couldn't disagree.
Tak heard that laugh again over the intercom, coming from the footage on the other side of the window... The hair on her antennae stood on end. So, she didn't imagine that creepy laugh in the room? It really did happen, because Zim and Skoodge were watching a playback of it. It angered her that she should be kept inside of here while they watched some private footage of her.
The smaller Tak's eyes on the screen turned back to normal at last, as she looked about herself.
"Who's there?" she asked.
Zim snapped his head towards the screen; he hadn't watched it to this part yet.
Tak's expression on the screen was truly frightened for a moment. Zim tried to ignore that annoying, prickling sensation inside, one he knew all too well now — empathy. He could never feel sorry for Tak. Never, ever.
Skoodge watched Tak's small image sadly. "Wow, I never thought I'd say this about an Irken rebel, but she looks like she really needs help. Look at her face. That's pure terror right there," he pointed at the screen.
"I know what pure terror looks like, Skoodge. I have brought that very same look upon many a face myself."
Tak rolled her eyes. "You wish, Zim..."
"I was just saying. It looks like I'm not the only one who has an Irken to fix. Mine, of course, was a respectful Invader, but still. Good luck, Zim."
"Yes and a good luck with your 'fix-a-broken-Irken' project too. Now leave Zim alone. I have a ghost problem to fix."
"If you say so. Well, goodbye, Zim." Skoodge got off the chair. "Oh, now I remember why I came down here. I'm thinking about taking Tenn outside the house to see Molly and the rest of Earth. Would you like to join us?"
"I'm too busy," Zim told him. "Besides, threes a crowd. I feel like a third party with you and Tenn, like some obnoxious best friend in a stupid human rom-com. Why did I even make that comparison? I hate romantic comedies!"
Skoodge produced a nervous laugh. "What are you saying? There is no romance here. This is merely professional."
Zim looked up with tapering eyes. "A year ago, Skoodge, romance was a very foreign term to me. I even postulated at one time that it was a pain-based sensation. I was not wrong; there is pain involved, but not so much on a physical level. Since then, I have felt... things. Mostly to do with my spiritual, human clients. Their feelings often coursed through me..." Zim said, reflecting on his memory of Robert — the loyal boyfriend who stayed by his girlfriend's side until he finally crossed over. "You never met Belle, did you?" he mused next. He sounded almost regretful.
Tak listened intently. Zim's words never made much sense. Spiritual? Ghost? What was he talking about? And who was this 'Belle'?
"Um, I don't think so," Skoodge replied, just as confused as Tak.
"She was the love-pig of an old client, and she was something. From my old, Irken perspective, she was just an inferior human. But ever since I felt Robert's feelings, I saw a whole new side to her. It's hard to explain. She became 'attractive' all of a sudden. In my defense her facial features did have all the mathematical proportions. I calculated them myself. It's all in the math, Skoodge!"
Tak almost burst out laughing. Poor Zim, he's definitely losing it. Beauty can't be quantified, it's in the mind. Trying to look at it objectively just makes you look stupid.
"So, what are you trying to say?" Skoodge asked warily. He didn't like where this was leading.
Zim met his eyes again. His expression was serious, deadpan. "What I'm trying to say is that during my time here on Earth, I have come to recognize the look and feeling of infatuation."
"And what does that have to do with Tenn and I?"
"Don't play dumb with me, Skoodge..."
Skoodge started to sweat, as his breaths came quick. Tak almost felt sorry for him. Zim was really harsh, putting him on the spot. He may as well throw in a spotlight.
"It's not that way! Tenn and I are just friends!"
"Exactly. I'm sorry to tell you this, Skoodge, but if human rom-coms have taught us anything, the 'friend zone' is a very, very bad place to be. Once you're in there, there is no escape! Good luck with your 'courting' anyway."
"I don't need luck... wait... not that I want it, anyway. Ugh, fine!" He threw his arms in the air. "Don't come with us. We'll have fun without you!"
"I have better things to do than watch your failed attempts at courtship."
"You're really mean, Zim. I only came down here to ask for your help with Tenn. I don't care about any of that 'friend zone' or 'failed courtship' dookie. I just want to help her! She's struggling to cope, and I'm finding it hard to help her settle."
Skoodge remembered what the Control Brain had said, that Tenn's Evaluation would continue if he didn't restore her to her former, Irken glory. So he had to do something, and fast.
"Very well," Zim obliged. "If you want my advice, then I suggest you have her meet Molly. The girl has a certain charm about her. Though it may overwhelm her, so do it in stages."
"That's all I asked for. Well, that's what we're going to do. I'm thinking about taking her to the park first."
"Bad idea; the park has strange humans lurking in every bush. Just ask Dib, it's his favorite pastime. How about the city cesspool?"
Skoodge looked disgusted. "You are kidding, right?"
"Yes! Now get out of my office! I mean, work station. Wow, I really am becoming a hermit..."
Skoodge shifted his eyes. "Yeah. Well, see ya later, Zim. I hope you get a hold on 'Green Eyes'."
He finally left the room. Zim was alone at last.
He noticed the intercom switch had been on the whole time, as he looked at Tak behind the glass. She still looked asleep, but he narrowed his eyes. Irkens don't sleep in the traditional way. There was a lot he had said that he didn't want her to hear, and some of it was personal, such as Belle... He cringed, since Tak was technically his ex-girlfriend. Well, she would have to find out about the other stuff eventually.
Zim pulled the switch down, and finally left the room. Twelve hours he had been in there.
"Idiot," Tak muttered, and proceeded with falling asleep.
But sleep never came. She didn't wear those steel-capped boots for nothing, if she didn't at least question sleep like another infamous character...
...
Skoodge emerged from the toilet to find Tenn crouched under the table. GIR was in the living room watching the Scary Monkey show. His laughing could be heard from the kitchen as the monkey would growl or drool, or do whatever monkeys do.
Tenn whimpered at the sound of his psychotic laughter, hearing those distant explosions again on planet Meekrob after she found that package of SIRs...
"Tenn? What are you doing under the table?" Skoodge asked.
"Quiet or he'll hear you," she whispered back.
Confused, Skoodge walked over to the kitchen threshold and stopped. There he was, GIR, watching some ugly simian on TV. Skoodge would never understand Earth's broadcasts.
He glanced back at Tenn sadly, who remained crouched under the table.
"He's been watching that monkey for hours," she said. "It's never ending!"
"Yeah, he watches that monkey a lot. I think it's like his god or something. I saw him bowing to it once."
"Why hasn't Zim deactivated that thing yet? He should have down it by now. It's well beyond repair..."
"You might not believe it, but Zim actually cares about that crazy SIR in the next room. Does this answer your query?"
"But Zim's just as psychotic and deranged; I guess now I finally know my answer."
"Yes, but he does have the ability to care somewhere. So, are you going to come out from under there?"
"No. I feel safe down here."
"I was thinking about going to the Earth Park today. Would you like to join me? I got you a disguise." He put on the table a dark brown wig and brown contacts. "I always figured you would be a brunette."
"I told you, Skoodge, I am not leaving this base, even if it does belong to Zim. It's Irken, it's made of Irken technology, so that's where I'll always feel safest. I don't want to bump into any alien fauna."
"The humans aren't so bad, though I can't speak for the rest of the Earth's fauna. Some dogs can be dangerous, but just don't make eye contact. They see that as a threat. Cats are okay most the time. Birds can be a little crazy too, and bees. Squirrels I'd stay far away from."
"Don't squirrels live in the park?" she asked.
"Yes."
"And you're asking me to go there?"
"I guess I am... Wow, that's not a good start," he said, scratching his head.
"No. I'm staying right here. Please, don't make me go there, Skoodge."
"But you have to. Remember what the Control Brain said? Your Evaluation will continue if you don't get yourself fixed, and I'm willing to help fix you, but you have to do something for yourself. Help me help you."
"It's hard, and then the more I think about the Evaluation..." she stopped, squeezing her eyes shut, "it doesn't really bother me anymore..."
"Well it bothers me!" Skoodge snapped. "You're the best Invader I've ever known and I won't see you deteriorate, Tenn. Forget those stupid Meekrob! They're all gone now, anyway."
"But they still had the last laugh... Look at me, cowering away from some malfunctioning SIR in the next room. It's not like the old me at all."
"I'm sure the old you is still inside of you somewhere. Now come out from under Zim's kitchen table, and let me show you the wonders of Earth!"
Tenn thought it over. Was her old, former self still inside her? The Irken who always received the highest scores during training, who came out of all of Irk's most brutal training programmes even stronger than the last? Could it hurt to make the first step to recovery, by facing any alien fauna like the valiant soldier she once was?
She gave a tired sigh and finally crawled out from under the table. The first step... "All right. I will come with you to the Earth Park."
"Thank you, Tenn. It wouldn't have been the same without you." Skoodge gave her shoulder a light, friendly punch. She looked at him strangely.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Uh... nothing. Let's go. GIR will be too preoccupied in his monkey show, so he won't even notice us leave."
"I'll take your word for it, Skoodge."
Next, the hum of the elevator rose up from the toilet, and Zim finally emerged.
"Whoowee, that was a long, messy twelve hours. Zim must have some poop now!" He marched to the fridge, opened the fridge door, grabbed a poop can, opened the can, and then slugged it down his thirsty throat. "Ahhhhhh," he sighed. He noticed Skoodge and Tenn watching him then.
"What? I can't drink a can of poop in my own home?!"
"We never said you couldn't—" Skoodge started.
"Then why are you both staring at Zim?!" he yelled, pointing.
An awkward silence followed. Zim took one more gulp of his can of poop, and then threw it in the recycle chute (he's into saving the Earth now). He went over to the toilet again to go down to his lab.
"Have you really been watching that rebel for twelve hours?" Tenn asked of him next.
"What? Are you speaking to Zim?" he replied.
"Yes. Why are you so fixated on that rebel?"
"Maybe it's because of the same thing that me and Zim discussed earlier," Skoodge said, slyly.
Zim growled. "We dated for five working days, Skoodge. Now stop bringing it back up!"
Tenn ignored their foolish talk, but it wasn't like she understood any of it anyway. "It's about that thing that took over her mind, isn't it? I may not know Tak very well, but I know that was not her. For one her eyes turned green."
"You saw Green Eyes too?!" Zim asked surprised.
"Yes. You couldn't miss them. They were even glowing beneath the blanket."
"Skoodge couldn't see her, but you could. Strange."
"Her?" Tenn asked, nervously. "You are referring to Tak, aren't you?"
Zim was about to answer her question, until Skoodge intervened. "Well, the park awaits us, Tenn. Hopefully the squirrels are feeling merciful today, and won't attack our heads."
"All right, but I still want to know what's going on with Tak. I will find out," she said.
Tenn put on her brown wig and slipped on her human eyes. She looked convincing enough. Skoodge followed her example, and put on his Johnny Bravo wig and sunglasses. Next, they went through the living room, tiptoeing behind GIR, and finally left through the door.
GIR didn't even look up, and when he heard the door shutting behind them, he called out, "Leprechauns?"
When he saw no leprechauns, he sat back down and watched his scary monkey again.
Zim shook his head, and then finally descended the elevator to go and probe Tak some more. Hopefully Green Eyes will make another appearance.
...
"Now let me rewind that for you again..."
Zim rewound the footage for Tak on a screen inside her prison. He still sat behind the glass, controlling the footage from his panel of many switches and buttons.
"Why are you showing me this?" she said. "I had enough the twentieth time!"
"Do you not see the bright emerald shade of your eyes?"
Tak paused and looked up at her green eyes on the screen. "No! I see not this emerald colour of my eyes, only my deep purple shade. Now please, I beg of you, stop showing me this ridiculous footage!"
"You're lying! I know you see it too, and Tenn, but not Skoodge..."
She ground her teeth and gripped her head, trying to control her anger, but she failed.
Now she extended her PAK's legs and shot a laser beam at the screen. The screen tipped to one side and crashed to the floor. She had tried to shoot at the glass too, but it's indestructible from the inside...
"Hey! That's my monitor you're shooting at!"
"I don't care. I don't care for you, or your stupid questions. I just want you to leave me alone."
"Never!"
"Why are you doing this?" she asked. "Don't you think I've suffered enough?"
"Because you're sick! There's something seriously wrong with you, Tak, and it has something to do with those green eyes of yours!"
"This again? You're crazy, Zim. Insane! You're the one who is sick! Ghosts aren't real..."
Zim turned quiet. "Who said anything about a ghost?"
"I heard you talking to that gullible idiot over the intercom earlier. You mentioned ghosts and spirits. I don't know what's happened to you, Zim, but you've definitely lost it. Any shred of sanity you had has gone!"
"I'll assure you that they are very much real," Zim growled, in Molly senior's honour, and for all of the other ghosts he had helped. "As real as that thing possessing that PAK of yours!"
Tak faltered. "What?" she finally said.
"You heard me. I know you, Tak. You're not stupid. I can see it in your eyes now, and on your face on the footage. You know something is wrong, and I'm going to help you!"
"Why? Why do you want to help me?"
"Because it's the right thing to do. I promised someone dear to me that I would help, whether you like it or not!"
Tak laughed. "And who on all of Earth and Irk could be dear to you, Zim? You don't care about anything other than yourself."
"That's the catch; she isn't of Earth anymore. She comes and visits."
"From what planet?"
"Oh, it's not a planet..."
"Another universe perhaps?"
"Try the afterlife! I'm done with you now. You may find it hard to believe, Tak, but your voice is just as grating on my antennae as mine is on yours! And I hate your fake British accent!"
"What British accent?"
"Ooh, look at me," Zim demonstrated. "I'm Tak, and I'm all British and stuff. By jove! Blimey! Cheerio! Toodle pip, mate!"
"What's wrong with you?" she asked, appalled. No one talked like that...
"I don't know," he said, putting a hand to his head. "I think talking to you is doing something to my brain meats. I'm gonna go and rest my head a while. But I'll be back! Cannot brain... no longer... haz... the dum..."
Zim slumped out the room and finally left Tak alone. She couldn't be any happier.
"Blimey," she said, "he really has lost it."
She settled down and looked over the smashed screen on the floor. Maybe she did take it too far, but Zim was annoying and very unfair. But she did see those green eyes. There was no missing them. But a ghost? How ridiculous. They don't exist.
...
Skoodge and Tenn walked through the park together. In Skoodge's head, it was like they were in that cartoon sequence from Mary Poppins as he whistled a merry tune. But in poor Tenn's, it was a very different story.
The humans were strange creatures. Every often, she would come across a human who really scared her. One had too much ink on his arms. Skoodge told her they were tattoos. Another had pins on his face. She learnt they were piercings. Yikes. Humans voluntarily put holes in their skin... Skoodge explained there were many cultural differences on Earth, and everyone had their own personal tastes.
She would ask why some humans were dark-skinned and others lighter. Again, Skoodge explained the many cultures. There was nothing wrong with a bit of diversity. That was a good start.
She noticed each and every human, though they pretty much looked the same to her at first glance, had their own characteristic, something that distinguished them from the other. Not like the people of Irk at all.
"So they all wear different clothes?"
Yes. Some clothes are deemed acceptable, but others are not. Some do abide by certain dress codes. People of medical and military profession must wear a uniform. Others, from a non-professional background, will still abide to certain dress codes. These codes are strictly due to fashionable custom. Some will follow them, and others will develop an individual style. I do notice, however, that when a certain famous human wears an item of clothing, many will follow their example. The Earth media is very influential on this race. Of course, fashionable trends tend to change over time. Right now, the eighties have made another comeback for the 1000th time, but with yet another modern twist. I think the humans are running out of ideas..."
They walked past a willowy, red-headed woman next, who just happened to be Belle, Zim's old love-pig. The park was one of her favourite places after all.
Tenn took note of her short skirt. "And what about that female? Her lower garment only reaches her thigh. Is that acceptable?"
Skoodge looked back at Belle, and noticed a few of the human males ogling her, and other females scowling, as she walked past.
"It depends. The males seem to enjoy her exposed legs; they are rather long. But the other females find it unacceptable. May be because their legs aren't as long as hers, and they see the men watching her. Female humans tend to antagonize each other, even over something as mundane as 'attractiveness'.
"So exposed legs are considered attractive?"
"It depends on the human culture, or the weather at that, or whether they are considered skinny enough. It's sad really. I mean look over at that woman in the shorts. Her legs look like big, puffy marshmallows, but look at how the humans cringe away from her. The same females, again, laugh at her in a pitiful way all just to feel better about themselves. This, of course, comes after the knock to their egos after seeing the longer-legged woman."
"I suppose the skinnier woman's legs are easier on the ocular implants, but I'm starting to not like these human females. They are rather judgmental of each other. I don't see why the larger woman shouldn't expose her legs too. It seems humans are hated when they are too attractive, or when they are deemed too ugly. At least Irkens are more straightforward. The taller the better."
"I wouldn't bother trying to understand the human females. Earth males have lived beside them for two-hundred and thousand years, and even they can't understand them."
"I'm so glad our race is androgynous," Tenn remarked.
"Yeah, I guess..." Skoodge said, "though I have always wondered why Irken females curl their antennae and wear false eyelashes..."
"That's because it looks appealing, Skoodge."
"It does? I never really noticed. Does it not hurt when you bend your antennae to achieve that desired, curled shape?"
"Yes, very, very much. Often brings a tear to the eye."
"So why do you do it?"
"I already explained, because it makes one more appealing."
"I think I now know why the humans often say "beauty is pain".
Tenn watched him sharply at that. "Well, it's our choice. No one forced us."
"Oh... okay. I guess that's one question I can finally scratch off my list." Skoodge looked into his mental list, and crossed out the question that read: "Do Irken females curl their antennae and wear false eyelashes out of necessity, or by choice?"
He laughed now. "Funny how Irken males aren't expected to do any of that stuff, hey. We can just get out of our sleeping chambers and go about our day, and no one would notice any difference..."
Tenn gave him that sharp look again. "Well, no one said it was easy being an Irken female."
"But it can be. I'm sure you would still look... uh... satisfactory..." (he couldn't quite find the word), "if you didn't do those things."
"I did try once. I didn't curl my antennae or wear my lashes, and someone thought I was Zim."
"Why would they think you were Zim?" Skoodge asked, clearly appalled. He couldn't see the resemblance.
"I don't know. We do have similar body proportions. I will tell you that I was not too happy about it. For one, they begged me not to blow them up. Despite us being an androgynous race, I do not want to be mistaken for a male, especially Zim."
"That sounds fair enough."
They never talked anymore on the subject, since it had run its course. They soon stopped by a playground. Tenn watched the human children wide-eyed.
"Won't they be disciplined?" she said. "Where are the droids? Smeets are running amok; they should be in training!"
Skoodge drummed his fingers together. "Yeah... Something else I should point out. You see, human children are a lot freer than Irken smeets."
"What do you mean?"
"Put it this way: they aren't trained from birth, and any humans who become a soldier do it by choice. Then they are trained, though still considerably young, but not as young as birth."
She stared, shocked. "But... but that's preposterous. How will they be better prepared for war?"
"You sound just like I used to. You'll get used to their crazy customs eventually. Now that we're on the subject of human children, I really, really want you to meet Molly."
"You want me to meet a human smeet? Untrained, undisciplined, and... wild?"
Skoodge slumped his shoulders. "I'm really not having an easy time of this. Everything I say about the humans is always turned against them. I'll assure you that Molly is safe. She can be rough, and she does tend to bite, a lot, but—"
Tenn gasped. "Just as I feared! A biter! She sounds barbaric. I remember one smeet during training. He was a biter too, and hard to discipline. Then the droids took him away, and he was never seen again."
"Oh, I remember him. He was fun..."
"He was a barbarian, Skoodge! He would have never become a civilized Irken citizen. It's a wonder why Zim is even still alive today."
"Come on, Zim's not so bad. He did sacrifice me to a hogulus beast once back on Hobo 13, but we're pretty cool now."
"This Molly smeet? Is she..." Tenn swallowed, "undisciplined?"
"Well... no. She can be wild, but doesn't cry or whine, not like her little brother. She's a good kid."
"And how old is Dib? He is still in his smeethood, right?"
"Why, yes, he is."
"So, basically, all children of Earth are untrained, and don't know their place? One even escaped his very own planet and joined an intergalactic war!"
"... I have nothing more to say. I'm never going to convince you. But in Dib's defense, that is a rather remarkable feat, even for an adult human. A shame his dad never sees it that way..."
Tenn stared in horror at something behind Skoodge. Before he even got to turn around, he heard a shrill voice shout: "Hiya, Skoodge!"
He turned around, and there was Molly. Her mother was walking down the path up ahead, with the baby in a stroller. Little Molly was riding on her new scooter she got for her birthday. Flames were painted on it to make it go faster. Zim wouldn't be amused...
"What are you doing here, and who's that?!" she asked, pointing at Tenn.
"Oh... well, this is awkward. I guess now you've finally met Molly, Tenn..."
Tenn gasped as she hid behind Skoodge. Molly beamed as she finally met the famous friend.
"Is that really you, Tenn? Why you hiding?"
"Don't... don't bite me, human smeet..."
"I'm not going to bite you, silly!"
Tenn whimpered.
Skoodge groaned. This was going to be a challenge. So much for meeting Molly in stages. He shouldn't have told Tenn about the human children of Earth's lack of training. Now Molly was a little monster in her eyes. Her baby brother, maybe, but Molly was an angel... well, sort of.
...
Zim decided that a rest on the couch was what he needed, so now there he lay as Minimoose hovered close. The computer wafted a fan over Zim with one of his many arms.
"Brain... frazzled... me thinks... no more..." Zim said.
"Seriously, master. We go to Australia for a month, and you manage to burn your brains out. I told you leaving was a bad idea, Minimoose, but you said I had to go for my many loyal fans... And I did tell you there was no moose down under."
"Squeek."
"Forget all the cute, cuddly koalas!"
"Squeek?"
"Yes… I do love my didgeridoo. It was very thoughtful of you to buy it as a gift, and then play its fine tune to ward off creepy fans..."
"Silence! Zim is trying to mumble incoherently. And this didgeridoo now belongs to me."
There came a knock at the door.
Zim jerked upright. "Didgeridoo! Who could that be?"
He watched the door for a while, until it knocked again — louder. So he jumped off the couch and approached the door carefully. He listened to the sounds on the other side.
"Hmmm, they must have left. Victory for Zim!"
"Zim, I know you're in there. I just heard your stupid voice. Open up."
He recognised that voice in an instant, and opened the door. There she was: Dib's violet-haired sister.
"Gaz-human? What brings you here?"
"So I heard the news," she said. "You have Tak here as prisoner..."
"It's been three days already since she arrived. Where have you been? Have you been sleeping, little Gaz?"
"I was finishing up on my GS2. Finally completed all levels, so now I've got nothing better to do. May as well see our old friend Tak's creepy, possessed green eyes. Dib hasn't shut up about it. He's not happy that you're leaving him out you know. You did promise him he could help out with the ghost stuff."
"Tak was never your friend, and Dib... I need him out of this, for now. I need to be alone with this creature, and Dib's fascination with Tak's infuriating. Tak wasn't that amazing!"
"Sure she was a friend; I squirt soda at all my closest friends... Well," she continued, "he did have her ship in his possession, and he even rode it all the way to planet Irk. But then you intervened and took his memories..." she almost sounded angry about that. Why? Dib was the bane of her existence.
"And I told you to never bring that up! Well, he knows now, anyway..."
"So, you gonna let me inside? The sun is burning my skin here."
"If you must, Gaz." Zim moved aside and let her through.
She noticed GIR staring at the Angry Monkey once she entered.
"Oh yeah, I forgot there was an Angry Monkey show marathon coming up. When I saw the commercial, the first thing I thought about was GIR. I can see I was not wrong. He's glued."
"Shhh!" GIR shushed her next. She let him off.
Zim turned on her now. "So, you want to see Tak?" he asked. "I should warn you she's highly dangerous."
"So am I. That's why I brought some poop cans." Gaz shook them next, getting them ready.
He watched her strangely and then shook his head. "Very well, follow me."
Gaz followed him to the toilet. "So, have you been experiencing any more premonitions lately?" he asked her next.
"Yeah, I predicted some lottery numbers for 65 million. But then I remembered Dad's pretty rich anyway, so I let it pass."
"You know some humans would have killed for those numbers..."
"Oh, I know. That's why I love to see them fight. There were no winners..." She smiled evilly.
Unless Zim had misunderstood her last comment, Gaz was forcing other humans to fight for her entertainment. But there were no winners? What does that mean?
They jumped inside the elevator, and soon reached the section of Tak's prison. Gaz walked up to the window and looked over Tak's sorry appearance.
"Wow, she looks even worse than last time." Gaz smelled something familiar then, and looked down into the trash. There were a few dozen Deelishus Weenie napkins.
She picked one out. "You're really feeding her these wieners?"
"Oh, yes," he said, darkly.
"Brutal. I like it. Teach her to mess with Earth..."
"But you were always indifferent to the Earth anyway. And you were never concerned when I tried to take over the planet!"
"Unlike you, Zim, Tak actually had a good shot at destroying my home world. No one threatens my existence, and gets off smoothly. Though I had to endure GIR's... kissing," she shivered, "it was worth it to see her fail."
"Yeah, I guess so," he grumbled. Again, he was sick of hearing how good of an Invader Tak was, or could have been.
"So what does she do in there all day? Has she gone crazy yet? Ooh, can I watch when it happens?" Gaz sounded genuine. Her eyes even turned all big and shiny.
Zim stepped back a little. Her eyes were creepy. "I find your childlike wonder most precious, Gaz, but no. You cannot watch."
"Why?"
He sighed, "Fine, but I can't tell you precisely when it will happen."
"So what's she doing now? That is a one-way mirror, right? How can she see us?"
"What?" Zim looked up as he almost jumped out of his skin. Tak was standing right on the other side of the glass adjacent to him. Her eyes were vacant.
He shook his head. "It's just some trick she's pulling," he said, hating the way she followed his every move.
"It's not working, Tak. Now resume your position!" he yelled, tapping the glass.
Her breath fogged the glass on the other side, disappearing and reappearing in a white haze.
He watched her curiously, very sure that she watched him too. His squeedlyspooch turned.
"I... I don't think it's Tak. But her eyes remain purple..."
Gaz walked up to the glass and banged it by Tak's face. The alien didn't flinch.
"Hm, that should have worked, unless she could see it coming from our side."
"Foolish guuurl..." Tak hissed. "Did you really think that could hinder me?"
Gaz pulled up a brow. "Are you speaking to me?" she asked.
"Of course I'm speaking to you!" Tak yelled. "I do admire that dark energy of yours, but, alas, you take the side of this runt. You'd have made a fine subordinate."
"But you can't see me. How would you know I have this 'dark' energy? And I'm no one's subordinate..."
Tak laughed, bringing her hands up to the glass as she raked her claws. Bits of glass chipped away from her claws next.
Zim winced from the sound, but Gaz didn't flinch an inch. She just continued to glare at Tak.
"We can see you perfectly, child. That strange purple growth falling from your head, and those yellow, burning eyes..."
"We?" Zim asked.
"Yes, we... I'm afraid you can't help your friend Tak now. Our minds have finally merged; her memories are now mine, and mine hers. Not hard really considering we were nearly the same person."
"You let her go!" Zim roared. He came up to the glass to meet the deranged face of Tak. But it was only half of her now.
He banged on the glass. "Tak, don't let her take over you. You're stronger than her! I can't fail you now!"
Tak smiled, enjoying that tortured look on his face as it reflected back on hers.
"Why, I'm sure you're loving every moment of this. All you've ever wanted was to see us fail, Zim! You ruined our only chance of success!"
"Only hers, not yours, Green Eyes!"
"So that's what you decided to call us? How pathetic," she said as her eyes shone green at last, "but fitting. After all, we won't be 'Purple Eyes' anymore. Tak is still inside of us, but we're afraid Green Eyes has overridden our PAK."
"I will fight you. If not Tak, then I surely will. I'll set her free once again."
"How sweet, but you'll have to catch us first."
"You've got nowhere to run, because you're trapped!"
"Not for long..."
"What are you—?"
"Zim, I'd step back a little. Things are about to get violent," Gaz warned.
"Has your foresight foreseen this?" he asked.
"No, just common sense. Now get back!"
"Eh?"
Gaz pulled him back, just before Tak smashed the glass with a strength surpassing that of any normal Irken (but when you're considered two Irkens, your strength is doubled by the power of two).
Had she acquired some form of supernatural power? To project her power out of the glass like that, it must be true. It was indestructible on the inside. But on the outside, it was fragile as Earth glass. An Irken invention.
Glass shattered all over Zim as he covered his face. Gaz covered hers too, and when they looked up again, Tak was in the room.
"There you are..." she purred. "You've no idea how long we've yearned for this."
"Yearned for what?" Zim growled.
"This!" She lunged at him and grabbed a hold of his neck. He tried to ward her off, but she was simply too strong.
He was getting weak from her chokehold. As he stared up into those gleaming green eyes, he knew it wasn't Tak looking back. This creature was inhuman, and had no feeling. Tak had always been a perfect villainess, but even this was beneath her. She would never take his life like this; she would choose a more meticulous, sophisticated plan. This was too animalistic for Tak.
Next, strange, sticky liquid gushed all over Green Eyes. Gaz squirted that can of poop, keeping a hold of the clasp as the cola burst out. Green Eyes screamed as smoke coiled off her skin. Of course, Tak hadn't built a resistance to polluted Earth liquids. Even Tenn had used the paste as a precaution, even though she had no prior plans to leave the house.
Green Eyes glared at Gaz. The girl shook that can once again, keeping her fingers on the clasp like a trigger. Green Eyes knew she was no match for the can, or the girl who held it. So she moved her gaze onto Zim again.
The Irken grasped his sore neck where a dark bruise was forming. Fortunately, Irken anatomy was fast-healing.
He looked up and recoiled from her, but Green Eyes' eyes changed for a moment. They saw that dark bruise around his neck in the shape of her hands. Then they softened, becoming purple once again.
Zim almost saw her, and before he could call her name, she ran out the room. He had never seen such a tortured soul, but those were definitely Tak's eyes looking down on him, even if just for a moment.
Gaz approached his side. "You all right?" she asked. If Zim wasn't so weak, he would have been shocked by her concern. Well it looks like Gaz saved her brother's old nemesis in the end. But they were all friends now. It was all good.
"Y-yes. Zim is fine now, thanks to Gaz..."
"Don't thank me; thank the evil poop cola corporation, for putting polluted ingredients in their soft drinks." Gaz lifted up the used can.
"She... I saw her... Tak's still in there."
"Should I have run after her?"
"No... you're no match—"
He stopped upon that evil glare from Gaz. "She's my fight, that's what I meant to say. Not yours."
"But she almost choked you to death."
"I know, I have the bruise! Ow..." Zim grabbed his throat again.
"Well, she'll probably escape out into the street. GIR's far gone in his show to stop her. Are you sure you want that creature crawling around the city, Zim?"
Zim groaned. "No. If only I wasn't rendered weak, I could have run after her."
"I'll call Dib, and then all three of us can go out and look for her."
Zim slumped back against the floor, putting his arm over his eyes. Great, he had tried his best to keep Dib out of this, but now his time had finally come. It was only a matter of time in the end...
Here comes the young paranormal investigator to the rescue.
A/N: I will upload again next week. After that, that will be it (for now). I have a current chapter in the works.
Minimoose and the computer are back! Did you even wonder where they'd been? I had, and it was in Australia. It was a little stupid to make up for their lack of appearance in this story. At least Gaz's was more plausible. Jhonen did go to a convention down under, as I've watched Youtube videos like a creepy stalker fan. It looked fun.
And I love the word didgeridoo. That's why everyone was saying it so much. I find them relaxing in a strange way. There's a video of a didgeridoo playing for ten hours on Youtube. I wonder who would watch it.
Zim was harsh on Skoodge, though I've never been 'friendzoned' so I can't relate.
You can be mathematically beautiful, which is probably the closest and most objective viewpoint to beauty you can ever find (though it's still subjective). I think it goes in the order of the Fibonacci sequence. I'm bad at maths, so I'm not going down that road.
I guess Irken and human females aren't that different. As a society, our women are expected to always look their best. Screw that; I'll look my worst!
I reckon there is more female Irkens than we know, they just aren't wearing their 'makeup'. Poor Tenn, being mistaken for Zim. They do look alike though.
Most British people don't actually say 'cheerio', or 'toodle pip', or 'by jove'. They may have done years ago, but times have changed. I have heard blimey a few times. There are many dialects in the UK. Such a variety, actually, that many are like separate languages in their own right.
Tak's voice actress is British, which is why she sounds like that. I don't think she was supposed to sound like a Brit, but that's just how it came about. It does suit her though. Gives her a creepy vibe, like Helena Bonham Cater in Sweeney Todd. Or as Bellatrix Lestrange...
And finally, I'd like to announce the birth of my beautiful new niece who has recently come into the world. Now report for duty.
See you next week.